Ivan Toplak

Ivan Toplak
Иван Toплaк

Personal information
Date of birth	(1931-09-21)21 September 1931
Place of birth	Belgrade,Yugoslavia
Date of death	25 July 2021(2021-07-25)(aged 89)
Place of death	Maribor,Slovenia
Position(s)	Striker
Youth career
1945–1950	Branik Maribor
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1951–1954	Olimpija Ljubljana	25	(14)
1954–1961	Red Star Belgrade	92	(48)
Total		117	(62)
International career
1956	Yugoslavia	1	(0)
Managerial career
1964–1966	Red Star Belgrade
1967–1968	California Clippers
1969–1971	Stanford University
1974–1975	San Jose Earthquakes
1976–1977	Yugoslavia
1978–1980	Yugoslavia U20
1978–1980	Yugoslavia U21
1984	Yugoslavia U23
1986	Yugoslavia(co-manager)
1991–1993	Indonesia
Medal record As coach Yugoslavia Olympic Games 1984 Los Angeles Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ivan Toplak(Serbian Cyrillic:Иван Toплaк; 21 September 1931 – 25 July 2021) was a Serbianfootball playerandmanager.Toplak played forNK Olimpija LjubljanaandRed Star Belgrade,with whom he had much success. As a player he also represented theYugoslavia national team.As a manager he also managed Red Star, had a managing period in the United States, managed almost all levels of the Yugoslavia national team and also managed theIndonesia national team.

At the1984 Summer Olympics,he guided Yugoslavia to a bronze medal.

Club career

Toplak started his career atNK Branik MariborinMaribor,where his family moved in 1943 fromBelgrade.

In 1951, he signed withNK Olimpija Ljubljana,where he spent playing the next three years.

With Olimpija, he won theSlovenian Republic Leaguein1952.

In 1954, Toplak left Olimpija forRed Star Belgrade.He played at Red Star for seven years, until 1961. With Red Star he won theYugoslav First Leaguein the seasons1955–56,1956–57,1958–59,1959–60.He had also won theYugoslav Cupin the1957–58 seasonand the1958–59 season.On international club level, he won theMitropa Cupin1958.

He left Red Star in 1961 and shortly after retired from football at the age of 30.

International career

Toplak earned one cap for theYugoslavia national teamin 1956, but did not score a goal in that game.

Managerial career

In 1964, Toplak became the new manager ofRed Star Belgradein theYugoslav First League.He managed the club for two years, but did not manage to win anything.

After Yugoslavia, he went to theUSAin 1967, where he managed theCalifornia Clippersfrom 1967 to 1968,Stanford Universityfrom 1969 to 1971 and theSan Jose Earthquakesfrom 1974 to 1975.

In 1976 he left the US and came back toYugoslavia,where from 1976 to 1977, he was manager of theYugoslavia national team.

After the A team, he managed theYugoslavia U20andYugoslavia U21sides, both at the same time from 1978 to 1980. He led the U21 side at the1980 UEFA Euro U21 Championshipwhere he got the team to thesemi-finals.

In 1984, he led theYugoslavia U23side at the1984 Summer Olympics.He guided the team to third place.

In 1986 he was a co-manager of the Yugoslavia national team, this time alongsideIvica Osim.

From 1991 to 1993, Toplak managed theIndonesia national team.In 1993, after leaving Indonesia, he announced his managerial retirement.

Death

Toplak died on 25 July 2021 at the age of 89.

Honours

Player

Olimpija Ljubljana

• Slovenian Republic League:1952

Red Star Belgrade

• Yugoslav First League:1955–56,1956–57,1958–59,1959–60
• Yugoslav Cup:1957–58,1958–59
• Mitropa Cup:1958

Manager

Yugoslavia

• Summer OlympicsThird place:1984

External links

• Ivan ToplakatReprezentacija.rs(in Serbian)